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Archive | January 2014

Super soft and cuddly women’s pyjama bottoms. These are great for these freezing cold days that have been hanging around. Comfortable and cozy for sleep or lounge. Check out Peonie’s Closet to see how you can get a pair.

Who likes cabbage rolls? I like cabbage rolls, very much so. I know I know, the smell of cooking cabbage, if you can just forget about that for 20 minutes they taste absolutely delicious! On the menu today, Cabbage Rolls! They are very simple to make and do not have many ingredients, you probably have everything on hand, well maybe except the cabbage?! Here we go…

CABBAGE ROLLS

1 medium to large size head of cabbage

1-2 lbs extra lean beef hamburger

1 Egg, slightly beaten

1 cup of rice (converted, not the quick cooking kind)

1 Can Heinz Tomato Juice 1.36L (The can with less sodium)

Salt and Pepper

Toothpicks

In a large bowl, combine your hamburger meat, the slightly beaten egg, the rice and salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil, reduce heat to low-med so it is simmering. Cut off the hard core of your cabbage and put the cabbage in the simmering water for about 10 minutes then turn heat to low. Your cabbage leaves should easily pull off, be careful not to tear any. Place them on a large plate and begin to make your cabbage roll ups. Take a leaf and cut the hard piece (in the center of leaf) off on each leaf in a v-shape (see picture). Place about 1 Tablespoon of the meat mixture on the leaf and begin rolling up. Make sure you wrap so no meat is exposed and they are tight. Secure it with one toothpick (you only need one toothpick so try hard not to use 3 or 4, like I did my first time making these, lol!) Place on a plate and continue making your rolls until all your leaves are used. I always have extra of the meat mix so I make meatballs with the leftovers. In a large saucepan, add your Heinz tomato juice. Now place all your meatballs into the juice, and next your cabbage rolls. Keep your heat on low-medium, not too high and cook until the meatballs are cooked through. The juice will thicken up on it’s own. An easy, simple and pretty quick meal. Don’t forget, make extra so you can put in the freezer, they freeze very well.

Beef hamburger, Rice, Salt & Pepper.

Cut the hard membrane out of the cabbage in a V-Shape, makes it easier for rolling.

It’s a cloudy damp snowy day. I guess I will do a little cooking and whip up a tender beef stew, AudiRose way…

Crock Pot Tender Beef Stew

3 lbs beef, cubed (I use a blade roast)

1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1/2 tspn. Sea Salt

1/4 tspn. Crushed Black Pepper

2 Tblspns. Olive Oil

1 Tblspn. Butter

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter on medium heat. In a large bowl (or zip-lock bag) add flour, salt and pepper. Coat the beef cubes with the flour. Add the beef cubes to the skillet and only cook the beef just until it turns a slight brown, do not cook the meat, just change the red colour to a pinky brown. Overcooking your meat will result in you having to chew on tough meat, and no one wants that! Set aside. *Keep your pan, do not wash it, as you will use this to sauté your onions and garlic in this pan using the beef remnants.

Now prepare the following:

1 Cup Carrots, Sliced (not too thick)

1 Cup Turnip, Cubed (not too big)

About 6 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cubed (not too big)

Salt and Pepper

Add all your veggies to the crock pot and sprinkle with a little salt & pepper.

Prepare your broth for the stew using the pan you used for browning the beef. Add to the pan,

1 Cup Red Wine (I use whatever I have in my fridge, this time I used Dao Meia Encosta, a wonderful Portuguese Red Wine)

2-3 Bayleaf

*Mushrooms can also be added at this point, but I didn’t have any on hand.

Now add your beef cubes to the crock pot and pour the broth wine mixture over the meat and vegetables, add the Bayleaf to the top. Put the lid on the crock pot and cook for about 30 minutes on the high setting and then for approximately 5-6 hours on the low setting. Check your meat, you do not want to overcook it.

When the last 1/2 hour of cooking arrives, whisk together

1/4 Cup Vegetable Broth, warmed

1/2 Cup Heinz Ketchup

3 Tblspns. All-Purpose Flour

Add this flour mixture to the crock pot and slowly stir it in to thicken up the wine broth.

In a microwavable container, add 1/2 cup frozen peas and 1/2 cup frozen corn with some water and microwave or a few minutes. Add to the crock pot. Continue cooking for about 2 more minutes. Serve with some garlic toast!

Finally a win for Leonardo DiCaprio at the Golden Globes… this has been long waiting. I watched “The Wolf of Wallstreet” last night. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! Well done! I will congratulate you now Mr. DiCaprio, I smell an academy award win.